The horrible truth of the recent cleanup drive planned by a certain Hotel in Manila in cooperation with Manila city government will certainly make you mad. Read the article to learn the reason why.

The cleanup drive allegedly initiated by Manila City government appeared to be legitimate and very appealing to the community but thousands of netizens heavily critized the effort. As shown in the video report , the drive was conducted in Manila Bay waters in a strange way. The negative reactions of netizens occurred right after the horrible truth behind the photo op was revealed by ABS-CBN news team.

Manila Mayor Joseph "Erap" Estrada invited various journalists to showcase the extensive cleanup program in Manila Bay in an effort to materialize the order of Philippine Supreme Court. In the said court order, government agencies are mandated to "clean up, rehabilitate, and preserve Manila Bay".

Photo via ABS-CBN news.

To prove that Manila City officials are serious in the cleanup drive, the city government came up with a plan-let Mayor Erap Estrada start the initiative. News teams from different news outlets who were invited were ferried by a motorized boat in Manila Bay to witness the event.

Horrible Truth of Manila Cleanup Drive

Journalists were expecting that the highest city official would really do actual cleanup at the dirty section of Manila Bay. However, the event was primarily intended for a photo op and was not set up for a realistic cleanup execution.

One reporter immediately took notice of a certain woman, from a different boat, dumping tons of garbage into the sea. The action shocked the group of news reporters in the boat. The woman futher explained that it will be taken off since the city officials in the other boat are equipped with trash nets.

One reporter asked the unidentified woman, "My God! Is that a joke? Is that a joke?". The woman replied, "pupulitin po ulit". This gave a hint to other journalists that the event was organized for a photo op.

What is photo op?

According to wikipedia, it's short for photograph opportunity (photo opportunity), an arranged opportunity to take a photograph of a politician, a celebrity, or a notable event.

If we are to put this into the right context, it's a "deliberate" use of planned event to provide favorable publicity for those who are photographed.